Dakar: Cox disappointed for his fans

A very disappointed Alfie Cox of the Gauloises Red Bull Natro Freight
Nashua KTM Factory Team yesterday (Saturday, 11 January 2003) returned
from the 2003 Telefonica Dakar Race after a massive crash.
Racing a 660 KTM Rally, Cox lost his way in...

A very disappointed Alfie Cox of the Gauloises Red Bull Natro Freight
Nashua KTM Factory Team yesterday (Saturday, 11 January 2003) returned
from the 2003 Telefonica Dakar Race after a massive crash.

Racing a 660 KTM Rally, Cox lost his way in stage 8 on Thursday (9
January 2003) between Ghat and Sabha. He turned just before a dune and
went along a sandy valley, which ran further and further away from the
real route and eventually stopped in a dead end.

"I tried to go over the top of the dune, but when I got to the top there
was a massive cliff face in front of me and I was forced to turn back.
When I got to the point where I made the wrong turn, I crossed one more
ridge and I was on the correct route. Like anyone else I realized I had
lost twenty minutes, -- panicked slightly and I pushed very hard to catch
the four front-runners," explained Cox at the Johannesburg International
Airport where he was met by fans, friends, and the media.

He continued: "I rode across what we call a set of waves (small dunes)
that got me bouncing up and down, just like you saw on TV happened to
Shinozuka and a number of other competitors. Eventually I realized I had
to bail off and unfortunately I must have hit the on coming wave with my
shoulder on a thud of crash impact. After getting the bike back on its
wheels and starting to repair the starter switch, I realized things were
definitely not well with my shoulder. As it cooled down the pain became
unbearable and I knew then that my race was run I hit the satellite
distress beacon, knowing that it meant major disappointment for all my
supporters".

"After a while the rescue helicopter flew past me, but it fortunately
returned after a while, by now I was in so much pain that I could in no
way fire the emergency flair to assist the pilot to find me and land
properly. After an attempt to reseat my dislocated shoulder, I was
airlifted to a checkpoint, where I was left while the helicopter attended
to Shinozuka and Delli-Zotti. I was finally airlifted about three hours
later," explained Cox

He was airlifted to Tunis with about twelve other competitors and was
X-Rayed in a private clinic in Tunis, where doctors realized that the
shoulder was not dislocated any longer, but the one pipe in the arm was
cracked.

"I am in pain, but that heal with time, my biggest disappointment is for
my supporters. I crashed ... and I realize I tried hard, -- but I still
feel I have disappointed you and I'd like to say I am sorry, -- yes,
this is racing -- I assure you I'll try harder next time and if my
family is prepared to support me, I will definitely be back to do my
absolute best in the 2004 Dakar race. Thank you to everyone who sent me
messages and wished me well, all those who watch on television every
night. I received 93 messages on one day of people wishing me all the
best. Those are the people I race for and those are the people I will not
let down," said a somewhat emotional Cox.

After Cox arrived back in Durban yesterday, he saw his medical doctor who
confirmed that the shoulder was dislocated in the accident, and reseated
by the Dakar medical team. He also confirmed the cracked pipe but he
believes the fracture may be fine within the next four to six weeks and
Cox will be able to continue racing for the rest of the season.

"With my wife Hazel and my son Bradley, I will leave on Wednesday and
travel to Sharm El Sheikh in Egypt to congratulate the winners of this
year's race when they finish on the coast of the Red Sea. I owe it to my
sponsors, my teammates and my supporters alike," he remarked.

"Richard Sainct is on a high this season, after he was out of it for two
seasons or so, because he did the entire World Cup Cross Country Rally
series last year and I plan to do the same this season. You only learn
this game by doing it and practicing it day in and day out. I want to
commit myself and focus on my racing; focus on what I do so well, racing
in cross-country rallies. With the necessary support from a few sponsors,
I can build up to Dakar 2004 and do well for all involved," concluded a
very confident Cox this morning (Sunday, 12 January 2003).